Haas and Racing Bulls grabbed attention at Suzuka with a Godzilla-themed Haas and a Racing Bulls design inspired by Japanese shodo. One-off and special liveries have become a regular part of the paddock in recent years. Below are ten of the most memorable recent examples.
BAR-Honda – Italy 2004
In the mid-2000s BAR ran a series of unique liveries on Anthony Davidson’s car as teams used Friday drivers more frequently. At Monza one design humorously showed the race suit and driver seating on the side of the cockpit, a playful nod to past novelty designs such as the 1993 Williams that featured Sonic the Hedgehog’s legs.
Red Bull – Monaco 2005
New to the grid as a full team in 2005, Red Bull immediately used its marketing flair on-track. For their first Monaco as a constructor they ran a bold Star Wars collaboration to promote Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, complete with themed graphics and appearances from franchise characters.
Mercedes – Germany 2019
Mercedes celebrated 125 years of motorsport with a split front-to-rear livery at Hockenheim that blended their historic white and modern silver. The design referenced the legend of the silver arrows, when mechanics allegedly removed white paint in 1934 to make a car lighter and reveal the metal body beneath.
Ferrari – Tuscany 2020
Ferrari marked their 1000th Grand Prix at Mugello — their home turf — with a special burgundy livery for the Tuscan Grand Prix. The throwback colourway celebrated the Scuderia’s milestone in front of passionate Italian fans.
McLaren – Monaco 2024
McLaren have become synonymous with showpiece Monaco liveries. Their 2024 Monaco cars paid tribute to Ayrton Senna with the Brazilian’s iconic yellow-and-green helmet colours wrapped around the MCL38, joining earlier Monte Carlo one-offs such as a Gulf throwback and a Triple Crown-themed design.
Red Bull – Turkey 2021
When Honda’s home race at Suzuka was cancelled in 2021, Red Bull paid tribute at Istanbul Park with a clean white livery inspired by Richie Ginther’s 1965 Honda RA272. AlphaTauri complemented the gesture by featuring the Japanese word “arigato” (thank you) on their rear wings.
Alfa Romeo – Azerbaijan 2022
Alfa Romeo regularly swapped their usual red-and-white for the Italian tricolore at selected events. In Baku 2022 they launched the Tonale SUV by dressing the car in Il Tricolore, turning the Alfa into a patriotic rolling advert.
Williams – Singapore/Japan/Qatar 2023
After Gulf moved partnerships to Williams in 2023, the team ran a fan-designed special for the season’s closing street races. A public vote picked the “Bolder than Bold” concept, bringing the orange-and-blue Gulf heritage look to Singapore, Suzuka and Lusail.
Alpine – Austin 2024
Alpine experimented with pop culture tie-ins in 2024. They ran a Deadpool & Wolverine-inspired red-and-black livery at Spa, then debuted a striking “sunset orange” scheme at the United States Grand Prix to coincide with a tie-in game release, pushing the team’s colourful identity further.
Racing Bulls – Las Vegas 2025
Racing Bulls have become playful with livery concepts ranging from tortoise shells to all-pink schemes. For the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix they went holographic: cars and driver suits for Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar featured a shimmering, holo-inspired finish that stood out under the Strip lights.
One-off liveries offer teams a way to celebrate partners, milestones, culture and creativity, and they’ve become a highlight of modern race weekends — from nostalgic tributes to cinematic and local inspirations.